Luke Salter

Production Lead at Magna Foods (2025-01 – Present)

Drive operational performance across safety, quality, productivity, OEE, hygiene standards and process efficiency within a fast-paced food manufacturing environment.
Analyse operational trends including accidents, CPMU, OEE, quality, downtime and productivity; worked with Automation to improve daily performance reporting and visibility.
Introduced 5S standards on Line 9 and structured root cause analysis for operators, strengthening workplace organisation, problem-solving discipline and ownership of recurring issues.
Led commissioning of Line 9, a £5m production line, delivered five days ahead of schedule and fully operational on time through close coordination of Engineering, contractors, Production, Quality and wider site stakeholders.
Leading the commissioning of Line 10, an £8m production-line investment, currently working through the structural build and installation phase and coordinating readiness for the next commissioning stages.
Leading a £50k rim-heating automation pilot on Line 9; subject to successful validation, the technology is planned for rollout across all production lines, creating an approximately £500k site-wide improvement programme.
Lead Early Management meetings, bringing cross-functional teams together to review site issues, assign ownership and drive structured long-term improvement actions.
Introduced line inspection reporting and reviewed risk assessments to improve process control, accountability, equipment visibility and safe working practices.

Shift Manager | APS Project Team | Stourton Project Team at Arla Foods (2023-03 – 2025-03)

Selected for a project-team secondment at Arla Stourton because of processing knowledge and familiarity with relevant systems and machinery.
Identified potential recurring cost-saving opportunities valued at approximately £300k-£500k per year and challenged CIP timings to create further capacity and cost benefits within the cottage cheese plant.
Selected for the Arla Performance System (APS) project team alongside colleagues from Production, Engineering, Quality and Logistics.
Delivered work across leadership and capability, site performance management, standardisation and continuous improvement, including 5S, top loss, SQCDMP and coaching.
Led shift performance against Safety, Quality, Cost, Delivery, Motivation and Planet priorities within high-volume cheese manufacturing.
Maintained visible shop-floor leadership through safety walks, daily and weekly audits, quality verification and escalation of operational risks.
Managed yield, giveaway and off-cut performance through SIC review, daily reporting and collaborative problem-solving with operators and Engineering.
Supported team development through one-to-ones, skills matrices, multi-skilling and progression opportunities, while working cross-functionally with Engineering, Planning, Logistics and Quality.

Senior Process Leader / Technical Operator at Müller (2012-01 – 2023-03)

Delivered two cost-saving projects at Müller with combined recurring savings in excess of £150k per year, presenting the proposals to senior management and gaining approval.
Progressed from Technical Operator into Senior Process Leader responsibilities for more than six years, overseeing a team of up to nine and coordinating day-to-day shift activity.
Planned production and engineering activity while maintaining legal, health and safety, quality and operational standards; completed fire, H&S, quality and first-aid audits.
Managed downtime reporting, handovers, tanker-logistics rescheduling, engineering-job planning, return-to-work activity, one-to-ones, team briefs and training matrices.
Supported CIP validation, lean management, CCP controls, laboratory testing, asset-care routines and SAP-based operational processes.

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